I've see the amazingly simple rooting method by DooMLoRD (ZergRush) listed here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1321582
And I'm wondering if something like that could be done for, once you have root, install CWM.
This would be interesting as it would add a new way to get CWM other than flashing some CWM-containing kernel or using the terrifying Rom manager app...
I am not sure if it would be so simple as DooMLoRD's script since CWM doesn't seem to be an "app" like su / busybox...
What do you think?
Genrauser said:
I've see the amazingly simple rooting method by DooMLoRD (ZergRush) listed here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1321582
And I'm wondering if something like that could be done for, once you have root, install CWM.
This would be interesting as it would add a new way to get CWM other than flashing some CWM-containing kernel or using the terrifying Rom manager app...
I am not sure if it would be so simple as DooMLoRD's script since CWM doesn't seem to be an "app" like su / busybox...
What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet at attempting this would be using Heimdall. From the help file:
Code:
7. Use the instructions to manually enter a command with all the files you want to flash.
Here is an example that does a full flash and repartition on a GT-I9000:
heimdall flash --repartition --pit s1_odin_20100512.pit --factoryfs factoryfs.rfs --cache cache.rfs --dbdata dbdata.rfs --primary-boot boot.bin --secondary-boot Sbl.bin --param param.lfs --kernel zImage --modem modem.bin
NOTE: The above command assumes the files specified are installed in the same directory as Heimdall.
Simply grab a CWM kernel, extract so you have the zimage then heimdall flash --kernel zImage. It would be easy enough to setup a .bat file to give you a few options/menus like the one in your link. Note that this requires the device to be in download mode and I can't imagine any other safe or even possible ways apart from download mode using odin/heimdall or flashing a zip via a custom recovery. Considering that you either have to be in download mode/recovery it seems a little counter productive to go to the extra effort of extracting images or using a command prompt but the above should work.
Genrauser said:
This would be interesting as it would add a new way to get CWM other than flashing some CWM-containing kernel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As the recovery mode is part of the kernel, you HAVE TO flash a kernel that contains CWM if you want to use CWM.
THAT however can be done via ADB, yes.
Code:
adb push zImage /sdcard/zImage
adb shell su -c dd if=/sdcard/zImage of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p5 bs=4096
I see.. so what I was thinging is not possible
As you both says, you need to flash a kernel whatsoever.. so the stardart way is much faster than having to extract the zimage and then flash it via adb on download mode (this is the problem, if it could be done on normal mode like that rooting method via adb, getting the zimage and then applying it whenever would be awesome.. but as far as you say it is not ).
Well, really a shame. Thanks both for your help on this!
For what I posted above, you do not need to go into download mode.
If your phone is rooted it works from "normal" mode (i.e. the system running).
You could also check out my little kTool (see sig), that allows you to dump the current kernel or flash a zImage from /sdcard (and a few more things).
The choice of kernels containing is huge for our beloved S2, from ones being very close to original stock down to totally custom ones.
Okay, my bad then, since you didn't elaborate more I implyied you agreed with Hollow.Droid on the "only download mode" subject.
So you actually can change the entire zImage for the CWM with the phone on normal mode... it woud be from the CWM only, not the entire kernel right? Because if a new entire kernel is needed we are on the same stuff again, then its faster to just flash the file via odin and go on.
Otherwise, it would be as simple as getting the CWM's zImage from somewhere and then add it to the phone via adb whenever..
CWM is part of the kernel, the zImage contains the kernel that contains the CWM.
You can not "install CWM" without flashing a whole kernel zImage, the "zImage" *is* the kernel, not only some CWM files.
Okay thanks, sorry for the late answering.
Then I have to flash a new kernel anyway, so it's just faster to do it via odin rather than extracting a zimage and then having to connect, config adb incase you didn't before, etc.
Thanks a lot for your time!
Hi,
Because i like to test many different Roms with kernels, i created my own script to flash properly with the recovery.
Often, the Kernels are available for a Rom in particular, in a zip file containing a boot.img with the kernels modules contained in /system/lib/modules
The problem is that to start, Android does not need that kernel, but also the image of a micro file system (zImage) containing startup instructions, but also a list of parameters to pass to the kernel.
The boot.img is the concatenation of the kernel with its startup parameters, and zImage.
To properly replace a kernel, so we need to retrieve the current settings, the current zImage, and reform the boot.img with the new kernel, and of course, replace the modules.
This recovery script make these step:
- Extract the kernel from the boot.img file
- Get the boot parameters of actual kernel.
- Get the actual zImage
- Rebuild the boot.img with new kernel, old boot parameters, old zImage
- Replace the modules in /system/lib/modules
- Flash the new boot.img
Before do that.
Download the kernel from other Rom, you want to flash
Extract from the zip file, boot.img and /system/lib/modules directory
Get my kernel_flash.zip
Extract it.
Replace the system/lib/modules content with the new one.
Replace the boot.img with the new one.
Rebuild you zip file with 7zip (www.7zip.org)
This zip file containing:
META-INF
boot.img
kernel
system
version.txt
And flash it under recovery.
I tested these method with Senses Roms, with AOKP or AOSP Roms. Always in my system started succefully.
You should be able to flash this kernel on any ROM (except the boot stock that has an offset of 256 bytes incompatible with the script)
As is, this kernel_flash.zip file contains a yoda kernel 2.1, overclocked to 1.5 Ghz, you can test with your ROM.
Sorry for my english.
Thank you to Google for translation assistance
Thank you for the kernel to yoda (my kernel_flash.zip contain 3.0.16-yoda_v2.1)
Thank you to all XDA developers who allowed me to further my understanding
looks promising, but does this work also for s-on users ? i dont know if you knew this already, but there is https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joeykrim.flashimagegui&hl=en this app in playstore, which works for both s-on and s-off users, and also flashes recovery
gav-collins1983 said:
looks promising, but does this work also for s-on users ? i dont know if you knew this already, but there is https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joeykrim.flashimagegui&hl=en this app in playstore, which works for both s-on and s-off users, and also flashes recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For s-on:
After flashing kernel under recovery, only /system/lib/modules files are copied
Keep in Recovery,
You need to flash the kernel with fastboot.
Open a terminal
with adb, pull the boot image:
Code:
adb pull /tmp/newboot.img boot.img
Restart in fastboot mode
Code:
adb reboot bootloader
Flash the boot.img file
Code:
fastboot flash boot boot.img
fxjumper said:
For s-on:
After flashing kernel under recovery, only /system/lib/modules files are copied
Keep in Recovery,
You need to flash the kernel with fastboot.
Open a terminal
with adb, pull the boot image:
Code:
adb pull /tmp/newboot.img boot.img
Restart in fastboot mode
Code:
adb reboot bootloader
Flash the boot.img file
Code:
fastboot flash boot boot.img
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would it flash the kernel if you are using 4ext recovery ?
Pacattack said:
would it flash the kernel if you are using 4ext recovery ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone is S-OFF
4ext recovery flash the kernel.
I know 4ext dispose a S-ON mode to flash the boot.img on the first boot, but i don't know if it works in this case.
Try it
Hi All,
I'm playing a bit with my new shiny toy (unlocked bootloader), and I have few questions:
1) Is there a way to do a fastboot boot (not fastboot flash boot) to keep the flashing (and working ) kernel in place while testing a new one ?
2) Is partition table locked by bootloader or can I repartition the device with fdisk directly on device or by flashing with FlashTool ? I'd like to reduce internal storage to add a new one to put my build.
3) What does fotakernel exactly ? I presume the response is no, else we would have separate recovery, but asking anyway: can't we replace it to have an alternate kernel booting ?
4) Regarding ICS firmware extract, I was not able to mount the extracted ext4, I tried 7z x + sin2img + pad to the proper number of sectors, but no dice, it mounts but it's corrupted. Doesn't seem to be a simg, so what am I missing ? Flashing + dd works, but it's a bit cumbersome.
Thanks,
LeTama
Good to see you here!
I am not sure if memory is locked to bootloader
I dont think so because ics changed the system partition size
We cant edit the .sin files in a .ftf
Sony included a file which contains a long key (like a long md5) which is unique
We cant fastboot boot. ..:... It is not included in the bootloader
If you need any info pm me
Sent from my LT22i using xda app-developers app
Hey Nicholtus!
Thanks for the reply!
So ICS upgrade changed partition layout ? On which model ? And upgrade preserved data or is it a global format ?
You're sure about fastboot boot ? Because it's doing something on Xperia S. Kernel doesn't boot, but something starts as device get stuck, so I was thinking that maybe I was not doing it the right way.
And system ext4, any idea ?
Regarding sin, I know about signature and that we have no way to bypass it.
Hi,
Layout is changed on the xperia s
I thought it was the system partition
If we find a way to bypass the sin header we can re partition the phone
I heard from DooMLoRD that the fastboot boot option is not included
Sent from my LT22i using xda app-developers app
letama said:
Hi All,
I'm playing a bit with my new shiny toy (unlocked bootloader), and I have few questions:
1) Is there a way to do a fastboot boot (not fastboot flash boot) to keep the flashing (and working ) kernel in place while testing a new one ?
2) Is partition table locked by bootloader or can I repartition the device with fdisk directly on device or by flashing with FlashTool ? I'd like to reduce internal storage to add a new one to put my build.
3) What does fotakernel exactly ? I presume the response is no, else we would have separate recovery, but asking anyway: can't we replace it to have an alternate kernel booting ?
4) Regarding ICS firmware extract, I was not able to mount the extracted ext4, I tried 7z x + sin2img + pad to the proper number of sectors, but no dice, it mounts but it's corrupted. Doesn't seem to be a simg, so what am I missing ? Flashing + dd works, but it's a bit cumbersome.
Thanks,
LeTama
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I allso have problem with fastboot boot... see my post -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=32160466&postcount=22
About extracting ICS system.sin I integrated an tool into my CWM recovery so you can "in one click" trought menu extract these system.syn to system.tar
Allso new tool is added yesterday to new CWM version, but now its only for Xpreia GO, for backuping system partition and boot partition to flashable_zip, so you can "in one click" create recovery compatible zip format firmware like for HTC devices!!! I managed fresh ICS instalation in same way without needs for installing ICS bootloader...etc, just only fresh boot and system... see thread -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1912865
munjeni said:
I allso have problem with fastboot boot... see my post -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=32160466&postcount=22
About extracting ICS system.sin I integrated an tool into my CWM recovery so you can "in one click" trought menu extract these system.syn to system.tar
Allso new tool is added yesterday to new CWM version, but now its only for Xpreia GO, for backuping system partition and boot partition to flashable_zip, so you can "in one click" create recovery compatible zip format firmware like for HTC devices!!! I managed fresh ICS instalation in same way without needs for installing ICS bootloader...etc, just only fresh boot and system... see thread -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1912865
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback...
I still didn't solve the fastboot boot. You made interesting tests, the problem is that for xperia S at least we need the rpm.bin and I don't see how we could have it in a standard htc img.
I should ask that someday on sony forum I guess.
Regarding the extract of ics, I solved the issue since then, the issue was an incomplete understanding of sin format. Since that time, I wrote a tool that can directly extract sin properly and Androxyde introduced similar changes in recent releases of FlashTool, so now it can be all done on PC without having to flash and dump.
I saw also your investigation regarding boot partitions, isn't the second one the one used for fotakernel ?
Just in case you want to look into this, don't bother if your bootloader is similar to Xperia S . I wanted to use it to have a second kernel for recovery, but after looking at bootloader, booting from this partition is blocked by bootloader as soon as you unlock your bootloader.
This is why I came to this, three different kernels boot with one dedicated to recovery .
letama said:
Thanks for the feedback...
I still didn't solve the fastboot boot. You made interesting tests, the problem is that for xperia S at least we need the rpm.bin and I don't see how we could have it in a standard htc img.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is not rpm.bin part of the boot image? If yes than you can dump boot partition by dd and rename it to boot.img and it will be installed trought recovery without any problem because "ANDROID" img header have no sense for Sony because Sonys bootloader have nothing about checking these headers! You can add raw boot partition dump (boot.img) to recovery zip flashable format and recovery will install it without problem! Do not forget recovery backup create raw boot partition dump but renamed to boot.img, so .img is only prefix! Or maybe you mean something diferent? Maybe this can help you -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=31954337&postcount=9
About seccond boot partition... I think you are right! Its fota kernel? I erased these partition so I could not seen any problems and stranges by runing android so now I not understand whats use of these partition. Do you know how fota partition is trigered by bootloader? Maybe diferent boot reason? Maybe we can make something for writing boot reason before boot? For example writing bootreason that will boot recovery partition and if there is no trigers than recovery ramdisk will switch to boot ram sdisk? Is there any triger for example volume_up or something for entering into fota kernel? That have sense if there is some trigers! I just no want to edit boot image on every user reguest when some one make an updated kernel, that have no sense.... so only have sense is separated recovery partition...
How you decompiled bootloader, I tried but I am unable to find what is base address? Sony is really complicated for me now because I had a lot of HTC devices so Sony things is totally diferent than HTC...
munjeni said:
Is not rpm.bin part of the boot image? If yes than you can dump boot partition by dd and rename it to boot.img and it will be installed trought recovery without any problem because "ANDROID" img header have no sense for Sony because Sonys bootloader have nothing about checking these headers! You can add raw boot partition dump (boot.img) to recovery zip flashable format and recovery will install it without problem! Do not forget recovery backup create raw boot partition dump but renamed to boot.img, so .img is only prefix! Or maybe you mean something diferent? Maybe this can help you -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=31954337&postcount=9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I know and I meant something else... I thought you tried a pure mkbootimg and not an elf with an img file ext, I guess I missed something in your post.
About seccond boot partition... I think you are right! Its fota kernel? I erased these partition so I could not seen any problems and stranges by runing android so now I not understand whats use of these partition. Do you know how fota partition is trigered by bootloader? Maybe diferent boot reason? Maybe we can make something for writing boot reason before boot? For example writing bootreason that will boot recovery partition and if there is no trigers than recovery ramdisk will switch to boot ram sdisk? Is there any triger for example volume_up or something for entering into fota kernel? That have sense if there is some trigers! I just no want to edit boot image on every user reguest when some one make an updated kernel, that have no sense.... so only have sense is separated recovery partition...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I decompiled the firmware updater, and if I interpret correctly what I saw, fota is triggered by a simple "reboot recovery", so yes, it's a different reboot reason, but the standard one. The issue is that I saw explicit string messages in bootloader saying "Phone is unlocked, thus FOTA is not allowed to run!",0xA,0. I didn't find the test, but I tried to replace with dd the fota kernel and do a reboot recovery, the kernel was never launched. Basically, this kernel is launched when ota is downloaded and takes care of ota firmware installation, but I believe it only works on a locked bootloader with a signed ota kernel.
munjeni said:
How you decompiled bootloader, I tried but I am unable to find what is base address? Sony is really complicated for me now because I had a lot of HTC devices so Sony things is totally diferent than HTC...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't, I just dumped the partition and located message strings. I was not able to decompile it too, code is weird and it's probably relocated and/or crypted.
letama said:
Yes, I know and I meant something else... I thought you tried a pure mkbootimg and not an elf with an img file ext, I guess I missed something in your post.
I decompiled the firmware updater, and if I interpret correctly what I saw, fota is triggered by a simple "reboot recovery", so yes, it's a different reboot reason, but the standard one. The issue is that I saw explicit string messages in bootloader saying "Phone is unlocked, thus FOTA is not allowed to run!",0xA,0. I didn't find the test, but I tried to replace with dd the fota kernel and do a reboot recovery, the kernel was never launched. Basically, this kernel is launched when ota is downloaded and takes care of ota firmware installation, but I believe it only works on a locked bootloader with a signed ota kernel.
I didn't, I just dumped the partition and located message strings. I was not able to decompile it too, code is weird and it's probably relocated and/or crypted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, fotakernel is a problem. It can totally be used for recovery, but the bootloader just kills any attempt to boot it Needs some bootloader reverse engineering, and that's kinda dangerous.
Hmmm there is a few parts in "boot loader" partition so maybe dumping one by one part and decompiling? Anyone tried to comunicate with modem firmware... [email protected] commands? Is possible dumping ram memory by fastboot oem xxx ?? Is Gobi inside modem...?
K900 said:
Yeah, fotakernel is a problem. It can totally be used for recovery, but the bootloader just kills any attempt to boot it Needs some bootloader reverse engineering, and that's kinda dangerous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed! That's why I started to work on boot manager and it's more than enough for what I wanted to do. I'd have been happy with two kernels, three (well, more like 2,5 ) is luxury .
munjeni said:
Hmmm there is a few parts in "boot loader" partition so maybe dumping one by one part and decompiling? Anyone tried to comunicate with modem firmware... [email protected] commands? Is possible dumping ram memory by fastboot oem xxx ?? Is Gobi inside modem...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No clue about modem and Gobi, however I disassembled fastboot, the only oem I see there is bootloader unlock.
letama said:
Agreed! That's why I started to work on boot manager and it's more than enough for what I wanted to do. I'd have been happy with two kernels, three (well, more like 2,5 ) is luxury .
No clue about modem and Gobi, however I disassembled fastboot, the only oem I see there is bootloader unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fastboot is actually open source in AOSP.
K900 said:
Fastboot is actually open source in AOSP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but I was looking for hidden/unknown oem commands, found known
Is bootloader partition locked? We can write to him by dd?
munjeni said:
Is bootloader partition locked? We can write to him by dd?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bootloader is not stored on the eMMC.
You can convert system.sin to system.ext4 by using Flashtool and mount it in Linux
by command sudo mount -t system.ext4 floder
sj8023ld said:
You can convert system.sin to system.ext4 by using Flashtool and mount it in Linux
by command sudo mount -t system.ext4 floder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. We've got an expert here.
K900 said:
The bootloader is not stored on the eMMC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not surre you are right because I dumped bootloader from emmc by dd but not tried to write back :laugh:
---------- Post added at 06:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------
sj8023ld said:
You can convert system.sin to system.ext4 by using Flashtool and mount it in Linux
by command sudo mount -t system.ext4 floder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you tried? Yes you can mount but these data inside these mounted partition you can see very corupted!
munjeni said:
I'm not surre you are right because I dumped bootloader from emmc by dd but not tried to write back :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The lowest level thing is not there, and I'm pretty sure that's what blocks fotakernel.
munjeni said:
Are you tried? Yes you can mount but these data inside these mounted partition you can see very corupted!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should work now with a recent flashtool. Androxyde implemented my sin extraction method that properly extract ext4.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
I have compiled a custom Kernel for my HTC Desire 200 unit from htc's source. After my kernel is compiled i get a zImage file. I then use Android Image Kitchen, to take a standard boot.img file and unpack it, replace the original zImage in it, repack and flash it via the fastboot command: "fastboot flash boot boot.img"
Fastboot then flashed the kernel, i reboot the phone and it boots and works to some extend. The changes i make is there (as an example, i can see the name change i have made in the kernel version), however WiFi is not working on the device with this custom kernel, and i believe this is because i need to somehow install the devices needed modules along with the kernel.
And heres my question. How can i create a zip file, that i can flash from Clockwork Mod recovery, that flashes the kernel, along with placing the modules where they belong? OR bundle the modules with a boot.img file that i can flash from fastboot ?
Basicly what i have i a zImage and modules, but i need to bundle it together for easy flash either via recovery (zip) or fastboot (img)
Can you assist me?
Quite surprised that this seems unsolvable yet also seems to be a thing every kernel developer has been dealing with ..